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Hunter Light Tank
Key Features *105mm railcannon *Shilkov 88mm anti-tank missile launcher *Eight wheels (mounted on two brackets) *Super-charged V18 hybrid hydrogen-electric engine *Mount for minelayer (removed) Tactical Analysis Gotta Love the Classics: the Hunter is a rather aged tank, the first MBT of the Forge. Effective against light and medium armor, its use against infantry is limited to the Birdshot canister shell. The armor is relatively thin, though the top speed is quite impressive. Flying Tank: due to its lack of bulk, the Hunter is used as the heavy counterpart of the Forge's infamous 'Drop Troopers'. It can be lashed to the belly of a Hunchback or Condor and flown in, dropped in the middle of a combat zone and supporting jump soldiers in hazardous terran behind enemy lines. Speeeeed!: one thing the Hunter has on its side over other tanks is its ability to keep up with the fast moving Drop Troops, its powerful engine giving it enormous horsepower while the self-inflating, multi-grip tires allow it to drive extremely well over a variety of difficult terrain. Thin Hide: despite its firepower, the Hunter is not a direct combat vehicle, and can be destroyed relatively easily by the lightest of anti-tank weapons, even falling prey to some heavy anti-infantry devices. Operational History Many years ago, there existed a nation called the Coalition of Democratic States. These states can trace their origins back to the old United States of America back on Ancient Earth, far before the time of the Forge. Thirty years before the Krogan Alliance invaded, The Coalition decided they needed to commission a replacement for their aging Hurricane IFV as the new aircraft deployable armored vehicle. The contract was set to make millions of dollars for whoever won it, and many put their applications forward, but only a few companies made it through. Reliable Excavation and Demolition made it to final selection, but they were facing off against several fierce competitors. Eureka Defense submitted the Type-14 Little Bear, an advanced light tank purpose built for this duty. AdvancedArmor submitted the Talos armored car, a fast vehicle with almost no armor but an extremely powerful railgun. Wolfe Industries made the Goliath armored walker, a tall eyesore made of durable but expensive tungsten, but more than capable of going one on one with a main battle tank. RED, surprisingly, submitted their own vehicle for consideration, known as the Hunter, with the wheeled chassis of an APC and a surprisingly powerful 105mm railcannon. To save on weight, the armor was stripped in all but vital places, which also helped with speed. At first, it seemed as though the Little Bear or Talos would win over the other competitors, but when the Hunter stepped up to the plate, they suddenly seemed to fulfill all the Coalition's needs. The requirements put forth were that the vehicle had to be light enough to be easily carried by a dropship, able to fit in an orbital drop pod, and amphibious, while possessing suitable firepower and protection. When the Hunter stepped up, its speed and cannon compared to the other competitors was no contest at all, and it was easily able to match the combat performance requirements. More than suitably affordable, it was a shoe in for the Coalition, and lived on the next three decades. When the krogan invaded, the Hunter was the first tank on the frontline with the Mastiff. But when it was eventually found that even the lightest weapons the krogan had were able to damage the Hunter found it pulled from main battle duty, relegated instead to guerilla warfare and fast attack duties alongside the Drop Troopers. While FDI is currently in the process of phasing it out, the tank has found its new niche on Eridanus II, where the thick jungle foliage prevents the Forge from deploying heavy armor in support of their troops, its wheeled nature and slim profile letting it tackle even the hardiest jungle trail. Category:Vehicles